The course mainly made me a huge fan of Yeats and John Millington Synge.

SYNGE???

Oh, Ginger. You are so dead to me. t weeps.

Like Joyce, prefer Virginia. Not large with the Yeats love. Entirely lacking the Synge love.

Believe that, despite taste being subjective, some books really are better than others on an objective level. However, my Western Canon != that of Howard Bloom, because he thinks Madame Bovine belongs, to which I say, "Bitch, PLEASE."

Also, will confess, Jane Austen bores the ever loving snot out of me. I keep wishing she didn't, but there you have it.

Prefer Fyodor's shorts to his longs, and think Leo's poor wife was a saint for putting up with him, even if I do adore his work.

Oh, also: think Marlowe's writing was better, but Wm. stole better plots + was more prolific.

Thus ends my controversial views post.

The Aran Islands. Playboy of the Western World. How can you not like Synge, Plei? t throws away sodden Kleenex and picks up another to sop up the tears

I also find Austen somewhat soporific. And I've never been able to get through Madame Bovary.

think Marlowe's writing was better, but Wm. stole better plots + was more prolific.

Don't forget Wm. being a better spinmeister (Richard III) with a blatant disregard for actual historical fact (MacBeth).

(Waiting for Deb's rant on Richard.)

(I still love him, though.)

Believe that, despite taste being subjective, some books really are better than others on an objective level. However, my Western Canon != that of Howard Bloom

See, Plei, this is one of the many reasons why I love you.

with a blatant disregard for actual historical fact (MacBeth).

Please. Wm. doesn't owe shit to historical fact.

Wm. doesn't owe shit to historical fact.

Dude. I wasn't criticising, but it is fun to see what he does.

Dude. I wasn't criticising, but it is fun to see what he does.

Sorry - I didn't mean to sound so crabby about it. But histories were notoriously slippery back then anyway. But you're right - I love it when he's toadying up to the Powers That Be by rewriting history to flatter their ancestors.

I love it when he's toadying up to the Powers That Be by rewriting history to flatter their ancestors.

And then you go and say what I was trying to say. Thank yew. I do love it. It's a sick love, but there ya go.

It's a sick love, but there ya go.

Heh. Just today I was listening to that recording I have of Ian McKellen reciting the HoYayful Sonnett XX backed by a rock band sounding like the Velvet Underground. You really need to spend a weekend with Jen chatting up all the dark twisty corners of Wm. Shakespeare.

You really need to spend a weekend with Jen chatting up all the dark twisty corners of Wm. Shakespeare.

Yes please.

Edit: I'm reading a great book right now called _Looking for Sex in Shakespeare_ that has two delightful HoYay-heavy chapters, one about the Sonnets and another about hot boy-on-boy action in all the works.